Long on the drawing board, facility set to open
Cultural Center, a dream of Chickasaws, opening to visitors
CONTRIBUTED BY Dana Lance, tribal media relations.
SULPHUR, Okla. - This month when the Chickasaw Cultural Center opens to the public, it will be the culmination of a 50-year dream for Chickasaws and the work of hundreds of people.
Located on 109 acres of gently rolling hills adjacent to the Chickasaw National Recreation Area near Sulphur, the Center has been the dream of the Chickasaw people since as early as 1960s.
One of the first documented works regarding Chickasaw Cultural Center discussions was published in an Ardmore, Okla., newspaper in 1963.
"You may remember in the early 60s reading an article on the front page of the Daily Ardmoreite in which it was suggested it was time for a cultural place for the Chickasaws," Gov. Bill Anoatubby said during the June 12 Chickasaw opening day of the Cultural Center. "A place where there would be a village, a place where people can go and learn more about the great Chickasaw people."
"We have talked about it forever," said Pat Woods, tribal administrator of the Division of Program Operations.
Mrs. Woods, who began her career with the Chickasaw Nation in 1972, said the main focus of a Cultural Center was to tell the Chickasaw story.
"We wanted a place where all Chickasaws could come, and we could tell the story about who we are, where we come from and where we are going," Lona Barrick, administrator of the tribal Division of Arts and Humanities, said.
"Cultural is the most interesting part," Mrs. Woods said. "Most Chickasaws want to know their past."
In those early days, a Chickasaw Cultural Committee was formed.
"That’s when we took our first steps," said Mrs. Woods.
One topic of discussion was the possibility of a Native American theme park.
A feasibility study by Price Waterhouse was conducted in the 1980s for plans to build a Native American/Chickasaw theme park in the Arbuckle Mountains. But the results indicated the area did not have a large enough population to support a theme park.
"No one liked the Price Watershouse report," Mrs. Woods said. "They just didn’t seem to grasp what we were trying to do. We wanted a place where all Chickasaws could come and learn."
Plans moved forward.
"Ted Key drew out some rides and attractions reflecting Indian and Chickasaw culture," said Mrs. Woods. "It was all based on Chickasaw history and told a story."
"But, a theme park was a different idea than we wanted to convey, and a theme park would have been a little more frivolous," Ms. Barrick said.
A Chickasaw Cultural Committee was formed under the umbrella of the Chickasaw Foundation.
"The focus began to concentrate on the essential elements - preserving the culture and history of the tribe, Special Assistant to the Governor Kennedy Brown said.
"It became clear we would create a place of study and learning, and one that fulfilled the longing of Chickasaws."
The focus narrowed to a traditional Cultural Center when the Chickasaw Historical Society was established in 1993. Members were appointed by Gov. Anoatubby and confirmed by the tribal legislature.
It was about that time, Ms. Barrick said, that efforts were made to reach the goal of a Cultural Center by working with the National Park Service.
Plans for the Cultural Center were eventually transformed from an inspiration to realization, thanks to input from tribal citizens.
In October 2000 more than 1,200 tribal citizens responded to a survey. The survey solicited comments and suggestions regarding a Chickasaw Cultural Center. Art and music, food and medicine, prominent Chickasaw men and women and a living village with traditional dwellings were all mentioned by survey respondents.
Chickasaw citizens participated in subsequent planning meetings and shared their ideas on what aspects of Chickasaw culture to include at the Center.
All the ideas Chickasaw elders, citizens and employees discussed at those meetings were taken into consideration as development of the Chickasaw Cultural Center design began.
Numerous informal requests by citizens were also considered during planning and construction.
Tribal legislation to fund the Cultural Center was passed in 2003.
Talks with the National Park Service for a Cultural Center in or near the Chickasaw National Recreation Area continued for several years.
Ground was broken September 30, 2004, just two days after the U.S. House passed legislation authorizing a land exchange among the Chickasaw Nation, the city of Sulphur and the National Park Service.
Drafted by U.S. Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.), a Chickasaw citizen, the exchange enabled the tribe to construct the Center adjacent to the Chickasaw National Recreation Area.
"(The Cultural Center) is an excellent example of the partnerships that can develop between tribal governments and their neighbors and it works to the advantage of all concerned," Rep. Cole said.
The Cultural Center, Rep. Cole said, was a "tremendous economic boon" for both the local community and the Chickasaw Nation.
The Center features more than 96,000 square feet of indoor space and outdoor venues including an earthen terrace amphitheater. Outdoor areas include demonstration gardens and a demonstration village featuring traditional Chickasaw structures. An area for stomp dance and other traditional ceremonies are also in the traditional village.
Indoors, an interconnected series of theatres, exhibits and galleries are designed to immerse visitors in tribal history and culture.
Former Chickasaw Nation Gov. Overton James, appointed governor of the Chickasaw Nation by President John F. Kennedy in 1963, and elected governor in the first federally recognized tribal election since 1904, was more than pleased with plans for the center.
"(This Center) is something that is far beyond what I ever thought we could have, said Gov. James.
"But it is something that will perpetuate the history, the culture, the life of the Chickasaw people for years to come. It’s a great thing."
